Encouragement and research for Christian teachers and leaders who want to bring their faith, teaching, and learning together
Test and Approve: The Liturjis Beneath Our Lessons
Welcome back, and Happy Fall!I'm so glad you're here. Last week, the extreme heat dome over Middle Tennessee lifted, and OH MY, what a relief and delight! I hope you're enjoying the beautiful rhythms of this changing season! In this letter, I sit a little longer in the biblical and cultural dynamics that I mentioned in my last letter and share a review of a wonderful new book that I WISH I'd had when I first entered Christian education. If you're a teacher just establishing your classroom liturjis for the new school year, I hope this letter gives you food for thought for why you chose those liturjis. Brief Recap In my last letter, I shared that my early teacher training and experiences drew both praise, leading to leadership roles, but also pushback from pockets of teachers and leaders. Briefly tracing the history of scholarship, I linked some of their criticisms to the learning theories that elevate human observation above God (you can read that letter here). My experiences challenged me to better understand my colleagues but also to think more deeply, more biblically, about my instructional choices. Thinking biblically about my instructional choices?Do you remember writing your philosophy of education paper for your teacher training program? You know, the one where you had to describe all that you believed about teaching, learning, and the ultimate goal of education? That's exactly what I thought of when I first began pursuing a more biblical perspective of my instructional choices. I needed to return to the theories my philosophy was originally built on. As I did this, I quickly realized I had naturally absorbed the goals that those learning theories prescribed: to equip and empower students to fully realize their individual potential, so they could become productive citizens in their communities. At first glance, nothing is wrong with these goals. In fact, many Christian educators would say these goals are admirable. However, armed with the history of scholarship that I discussed in my last letter, it only makes sense that I now notice very clearly that there is no mention of pointing my students to Christ. But wait — I openly shared my faith with my students and prayed with and for them; I listened to their stories and shared my faith journey; I started our classes with prayer and/or devotion; I sang praise songs and worshiped with them at weekly chapels. Wasn't all of that pointing my students to Christ? ABSOLUTELY. But that is not the same as cultivating a philosophy of education built on the foundations of the Christian faith, where the Holy Spirit guides my instructional choices so Christ may be revealed and glorified through every decision. Inviting the Triune God into my teaching philosophyRomans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing, and perfect will." The learning theories most of us were taught through our teacher training derive from limited human observations of the patterns of this world. They carry assumptions about people, knowledge, and the purpose of education, which can shape the liturjis in our classrooms. Part of our calling as Christians is to carefully observe these patterns, discerning their kingdom value but also their incompleteness and potential harm in this age. This matters because these theories do not acknowledge the transformative power of an all-knowing God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It has taken me many years and encounters with wonderful mentors, theologians, colleagues, and professors to merge my initial teacher training with biblical foundations. Through my dissertation process, I discovered Christian scholars who explored ways to reframe learning theory for a Christian philosophy of knowledge that embraces our all-knowing God. Trentham (2019) describes a powerful protocol for engaging in theory theologically (which could also be used as a framework for professional learning or a curriculum review):
Why am I sharing all of this? Because it is really easy to accept what we are taught in different settings as truth. But as Christians, we must exercise our discernment muscles so we can "test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). It also underscores the value of the new book by Currivean and Acevedo (2026), Think, Teach, Thrive: A Handbook for Christians in Education. They have completed similar work as described above, engaging theologically with twelve of the major learning philosophies most teacher training programs address. Oh, how I wish I had this book when I first started thinking more biblically about my instructional choices! It's written with Christian teachers in mind, so application is carefully considered. It first explores what a philosophy of education entails and then describes a Christian philosophy of education rooted in Scripture that pursues excellence for God's glory. Each chapter then builds a Christian understanding of a different learning philosophy. It begins with a simple definition and a timeline summary of the theorists, philosophers, and theologians who have embraced it over the years. Then, as Trentham's (2019) protocol suggests, a charitable and critical evaluation of the philosophy clarifies how it aligns with a biblical worldview, and discerned application ensues. I highly recommend this book for any Christian teacher who wants to think more biblically about their instructional choices and the theories that shaped them. Teachers, as you continue to reinforce your beginning-of-the-year liturjis with your students, what are your routines teaching your students about Christ? Until next time. God Bless, Dr. Christy Mactavish References Currivean, K. A. & Acevedo, C. (2026). Think, teach, thrive: A handbook for Christians in education. Wipf and Stock Publishers. Trentham, J. D. (2019). Reading the social sciences theologically (Part 2): Engaging and appropriating models of human development. Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry, 16(3), 476–494. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739891319882699
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Liturji
Encouragement and research for Christian teachers and leaders who want to bring their faith, teaching, and learning together
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